What Is a Peacock Without Its Feathers?

"I feel for the peacock. Upon all its pride, they have cut it all off. I can't imagine a peacock without its feathers"

Those were the words of my younger sister as I was dusting the peacock feathers in a vase in my room.

And it got me thinking. What is a peacock without its feathers? A crippled dog is still a loveable pet. A blind cow can still churn out milk. An old lion is still king of the jungle. A beak-less chicken can still produce eggs. But what is a peacock without its feathers?

There is danger in ONE. Being defined by one thing. Plowing our whole being into just one aspect of life and neglecting the rest. What is a 'spinster' without marriage? What is a wife without her husband? What is a mother without her children? What is a career-oriented person without that job? What is a sports person with failing health? What is a socialite with a battered reputation?

How many aspects of being can we sum our lives up in? Or are we truly lost when our one part is gone?

I couldn't help but wonder - can we still define ourselves when one important aspect of our life is cut off?